


The Magician Bride

by TARDIStime



Category: Princess Bride (1987), The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: Aeval is fit from jumping to conclusions, Canon Divergence, Chases, Escapes, F/M, Fencing, Fighting, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Giants, Julian is a romantic mess, Miracles, Monsters, Original character: Aeval Béchalart, Princess Bride AU, Revenge, Romantic Fluff, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Torture, True Love, both from the Arcana side and the Princess Bride side, extremely sappy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-04
Updated: 2019-09-05
Packaged: 2020-10-07 00:06:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,043
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20515751
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TARDIStime/pseuds/TARDIStime
Summary: Fencing, Fighting, Torture, Revenge, Giants, Monsters, Chases, Escapes, True love, Miracles!When Aeval's True Love, Julian, is tragically murdered by pirates, she vows that she will never love again. But as always, True Love has other plans (and one hell of a surprise).Princess Bride AU





	1. As You Wish

**I've been wanting to write this for a while. I will do my very best to stick with it to completion. As always, call out any errors I can fix, and enjoy the show! Brownie points to whoever can find the hidden Labyrinth reference.**

* * *

Aeval Béchalart was raised in a small shop in the country of Vesuvia. Her favorite past-times were perusing the market and tormenting the doctor that she was apprenticed to. His name was Julian. Despite the fact that _she_ worked for _him_, nothing gave Aeval as much pleasure as pestering Julian. Not because she disliked him, though. Quite the opposite. She, along with nearly half the girls in Vesuvia were infatuated with kind, clever, handsome Doctor Devorak. But much to the other girls' chagrin, Aeval was the lucky one to be apprenticed to his clinic. Or perhaps unluckily, seeing as he seemed to have no interest in her at all.

"Doctor Devorak," a normal conversation might start. "We're out of leeches. You should go to the market and get some."

"As you wish." came the ever consistent reply.

Aeval huffed in annoyance, as the doctor slipped out the door. 'As you wish' was all he ever said to her, it seemed. Unless they were discussing medical matters, they rarely ever spoke, and it drove her mad. _Pay attention to me!_ she wanted to yell, but held her tongue.

* * *

The next day, Aeval was determined to get a different response out of him. Instead of pestering with questions him as she often did (he didn't seem to mind...), she resolved to be a model apprentice. Stayed out of the way, fetched needed items, and generally made herself useful. At a certain point, however, she needed a small amount of assistance.

"Doctor Devorak," she called, making an often to sound helpful and professional as she held up two beakers. "Fill these with water, please."

Again came the dreaded response: "As you wish."

Internally howling with fury, she handed him the beakers, and turned back to her work. As soon as the door slammed shut, Aeval repeatedly banged her head against the desk. It was certain, he wasn't interested in her. In fact, she was now quite convinced that he secretly hated her and was just too kind to say so. He was very talkative with everyone else, but not her. No. All he ever said was 'As you wish', and nothing more. Just those three words... spoken softly... with that look in his eyes...

Aeval suddenly stood up straight, a sudden, shocked realization trickling down her spine like water.

Did he...?

_No..._

But maybe?

_No way_...

But he must!

That day she was amazed to discover that when he was saying 'as you wish,' what he meant was, 'I love you.' And even more amazing was that she realized she didn't have a mere crush: she truly loved him back.

In her epiphany, she hadn't realized that the doctor had come back in, and nearly collided with him as she turned.

"Careful, the beakers!" He exclaimed, jumping back in an attempt to not spill water on her.

"Oh! Oh, I'm so sorry." She laughed nervously. Then, at being handed the filled beakers: "Thank you."

He smiled and nodded at her, and made to turn back to his own work, but-

"Julian." he turned back, surprised, as Aeval went faintly pink. She hadn't ever used his first name before. But she wanted him to look at her, to say those magical three words again. Steeling her resolve, she continued: "Hand me those patient files?"

Julian's eyes flicked up to the shelved stack of papers, less than a foot above Aeval's head and smirked slightly. Just as Aeval was sure that he would refuse or turn away, he drew closer, so close that she was certain he could hear her heartbeat racing. Slowly, as if not to startle her; Julian reached for the files, handed them to her, and leaned in to finally whisper:

"As you wish."

Three things happened almost simultaneously. Firstly, all the air left Aeval's lungs in a rush. Secondly, everything she had been thinking, _hoping, dreaming_ of was confirmed by the adoration reflected in Julian's eyes.

Thirdly, she dropped the file stack.

"_Argh_! No, no, no!" Aeval exclaimed as the papers scattered all over the floor. Julian started to snicker, and Aeval (fighting laughter herself) smacked his arm as she tried to scowl. "It's not funny, Julian! It took me ages to sort those out! I'll never be able... to sort... them..."

Aeval trailed off, noticing that they had somehow moved closer together. Julian seemed to reach this conclusion as well, and his laughter faded. For a beat they simply stared at each other, wondering who would make the first move, wondering if they dared do it themselves. Finally, Aeval was the one to break.

In an instant, she grabbed the flustered doctor by his collar and yanked him down into a passionate kiss. Julian flailed for a moment (seeming to loose all knowledge of how his limbs were meant to work), but quickly recovered, wrapping his arms tightly around Aeval. Then, backing her against the nearby desk, he broke the kiss momentarily to dramatically sweep everything on it to the floor, and lift Aeval onto it's surface. It was Aeval's turn to laugh.

"You were just waiting for an opportunity to do that, weren't you?" she murmured against his lips.

"Oh, absolutely." Julian replied mock-seriously between kisses. "Very important business, desk sweeping. It's the way these things are done."

"Ah, of course." she grinned, equally as mock-serious, before deciding that talking was highly overrated and that Julian's neck needed marks. A groan answered her lips' journey to his neck, and a louder one followed when she sank her teeth into it. Her tongue was the next thing to come into play, laving the imprints of her teeth, before he suddenly jerked away.

"Wait, wait. Aeval." Aeval pulled away and froze, uncertain at the serious tone in his voice and on his face. He cupped her cheek gently. "I...er, before anything... ahem, _goes too far._.."

He paused, seemed to collect himself, then looked back at her with the same unrestrained adoration as before.

"You... I... Aeval, I love you." He nearly whispered it, so softly was it said. "I love you, and I desperately want to show you how much. To try and deserve you. You're like this bright light, drawing me towards you. I just can't help myself. And I need to know if you- Well, I mean, you don't have to say anything back, of course... it's not... it's not, you know... _required_, or anyth-"

"I love you too." the interruption came so suddenly that Julian almost missed it. When he paused again, and it appeared to finally register in his brain, she continued: "I have for a while. How could I not? And I don't need anything else, Julian. No grand gestures required. I just want to stay here by your side, and know that you love me as much as I love you."

For a moment, Julian merely stared at her, dumbfounded. Then, a slow, besotted smile spread across his face. Looking at her at her like she hung the moon and the stars, he answered in her new favorite words:

_"As you wish."_

* * *

For a time the two were very happy together, going on much as they had before; except with far less awkward silences and far more kissing. So deeply in love were they, that one day they decided that they should be married. But Julian had no money for marriage, so he packed his belongings and left the clinic to seek his fortune across the sea.

It was a very emotional time for them both.

On the afternoon he was set to leave, Aeval clung tightly to Julian, burying her tears in his chest.  
"Oh, Ilya." she whispered. "I'm so scared. I fear I'll never see you again."

"Of course you will." He replied, as flippantly as he dared. He knew his darling was very concerned about the whole ordeal, and was trying to keep a brave face up for her. "I'll be back before you know it."

Aeval lifted her face from his chest. "But what if something happens to you?"

Taking her hands in his, Julian met her eyes with seriousness and certainty. "Hear this now: I will come for you. Always."

"But how can you be sure?"

Julian smiled, and gently kissed her knuckles. "This is true love." He reminded her. "You think this happens every day?"

This seemed to convince Aeval. Summoning a watery smile, she helped him take his belongings onto the ship, and kissed him goodbye. When the ship weighed anchor, she stayed at the docks, waving, until it disappeared over the horizon.

* * *

Julian didn't reach his destination. His ship was attacked by the Dread Pirate of Nevivon, who never left captives alive. When Aeval got the news that Julian was murdered, she went into her room and shut the door. And for days, she neither slept nor ate. Just stared at thin air. Cold. Empty.

That day, Aeval made herself a promise, a vow birthed by anguish, despair and misery:

"I will never love again."


	2. An Engagement and A Rhyming Game

Five years later, the main square of Vesuvia was filled as never before to hear the announcement of the great Count Lucio's bride-to be.

Count Lucio Morgasson was a man of incredible power and bearing, who ruled Vesuvia in light of the former Countess being cursed with an enteral slumber. He was a vain man, but could be quite terrifying when he put his mind to it, and was not a man one wanted to get on the bad side of.

Standing (more _posing_, really) on a stage erected in the square, he admired the statue of himself that sat not a hundred feet away while he waited for his subjects to gather. Beside him stood his trusted ally Consul Valerius, looking impatient as he swirled his wine in its glass.

"Lucio," he hissed, "just get on with it already!"

Annoyed at being interrupted, Lucio sneered in Valerius's direction, but still turned to the crowd. Raising his hands to gain their attention, he began to speak.

"People of Vesuvia... a month from now, our country will have its 500th anniversary." he theatrically paused to allow for scattered applause, then continued: "On that sundown, I shall marry a lady who was once a commoner like yourselves... but perhaps you will not find her common now."

The crowd murmured amongst themselves. The count would wed a commoner? Who? Who amount them would have that honor?

Lucio grinned, pleased that the people seemed so invested. "Would you like to meet her?" he asked.

The crowd's answering cry of "YES!" was like a clap of thunder. Lucio's grin widened, and he gestured grandly towards the far side of the square. A figure slowly approached the stage. Slowly; partially because that is what she had been told to do (_so as to show the commoners the 'new you'_, Lucio had said), and partially because she was weighed down by the voluptuous gown and jewels that adorned her. As she passed by the people of the crowd, some tried to catch her eye, some tried to smile at her, but she ignored them, keeping her eyes firmly on the ground. Finally reaching the stage, she took her place beside Count Lucio (though with a rather pointed amount of space between them).

A fanfare of trumpets sounded before Lucio spoke again.  
"My people ... the Lady Aeval!

The crowd went wild; clapping, cheering, and generally merry-making... but Aeval still stared sullenly at the ground, her emptiness having consumed her. Although the law of the land gave Lucio the right to choose his bride, she did not love him.

* * *

Despite Lucio's reassurance that she would grow to love him, the only joy she found was in her daily walk. She often wandered to the edge of the woods, sometimes even finding strange and fantastical herbal reagents. On this day, she strayed perhaps a bit to far into the woods, and for a bit too long. No matter, it wasn't as if Lucio would be upset. Or even alarmed. He knew she wouldn't leave. Where would she even go?

She sighed with the weight of a deep, aching melancholy, and continued walking; but nearly jumped out of her skin when a voice broke into her morbid thoughts.

"A word, milady?"

Aeval spun to face whoever had intruded on her contemplation... then did a double take. Before her stood three of the oddest people she had ever seen.

The first was a young man -probably not much older than Aeval herself- with white hair, dressed in bright colors and carrying a sharp, wicked looking blade (a scimitar, she believed). The second was an absolute behemoth of a man, barely covered in his tattered clothes, and looking for all the world that he'd rather be anywhere than there. Aeval got the feeling that was his take towards most situations. Lastly, the one who had spoken was the strangest of all. Pale, stubby, and dressed from head to toe entirely in bright red; from their shoes to their headdress, which vaguely resembled horns. Their eyes, almost lizard-like, were bright yellow, and gleaming with something deeply unpleasant.

Having no desire to find out what, in fact, that _something_ was; Aeval answered quickly, hoping to get them on their way.

"Yes? What can I do for you?"

"We," The strange, lizard-eyed one said, gesturing to themselves and their companions, "are but poor, lost circus performers. Is there a village nearby, so that we might find food and lodging?"

Oh. Well. She was still unnerved, but now felt more inclined to help, and considered carefully. Fairly certain, she answered: "No, I don't believe so. There is nothing nearby; not for miles."

The person grinned widely, and raised a gauntlets hand in a victorious gesture.  
"Then there will be no one to hear you scream!"

Aeval's blood ran cold. _A trap. Of course, I should have known!_ When Lucio -not wanting to marry an actual commoner- had given her a title (Baroness, to be exact), she had been warned that it and her upcoming marriage would make her a target for ransom kidnappings.

_Well, not me, and not today!_ she thought. She whirled around to sprint the other direction...

Then immediately crashed into what felt like a brick wall, knocking her clean off her feet.

She had been so preoccupied speaking to the one with lizard eyes, she hadn't noticed the large man slinking behind her until it was too late. She tried to scoot away on her back, but it was no use. The man stooped down and swept her over his shoulder as easily as one might do the same to a child. Then he began to follow the others.

"LET! ME! GO!" Aeval shouted furiously, beating her fists against the man's back and thrashing in his iron grip. He looked perturbed at her outburst, but continued on following. "YOU LET ME GO RIGHT NOW, OR I'LL-"

"Asra," the lizard-eyed one called to one of their companions, "if she's going to be this annoying the whole trip, I'd like to enjoy some of it in peace while I can. Knock her out."

The white-haired man -Asra, as it seemed- shrugged, then approached Aeval.

"Sorry." He muttered, actually looking quite apologetic, before he pressed his fingers to her temple and the world went black.

* * *

The three continued on, paying little mind to their captive, except to make sure she didn't slide off of the shoulder of the large man, who was called Muriel.

The one with the lizard eyes, Vulgora, continued to find things to complain about in between barking at Asra and Muriel. So furiously they battered the two that it was a relief to all when they finally came to the water, where a small, unassuming sailboat was moored at a hidden dock. Asra jumped aboard, and vigorously began to check the rigging, as Muriel carried the lady aboard.

Vulgora, however, ripped a small piece of cloth from the unconscious girl's hem, then began ripping pieces of fabric about the same size from an army jacket and tucking them into a small tube attached to a falcon's leg.

Asra looked on with interest. "What is that you're ripping?"

Vulgora, without stopping or turning, replied: "It's fabric from the uniform of an Army officer of Hesperia."

"Who's Hesperia?" Muriel asked quietly. The question had truly been meant for Asra, but Vulgora growled impatiently and answered.

"The country across the sea. The sworn enemy of Vesuvia!" they rolled their eyes when Muriel didn't respond, then released the falcon. "Once the falcon reaches the castle, the fabric will make the Prince suspect the Hesperians have abducted his love. When he finds her body dead on the Hesperian frontier, his suspicions will be totally confirmed!"

Asra winced. Muriel blanched.

"You never said anything about killing anyone." He protested quietly as Vulgora hopped onto the boat.

"I've hired you to help me start a war." they explained; slowly, as if they were speaking to an imbecile. "That's a prestigious line of work with a long and glorious tradition!"

Muriel remained unconvinced. "I just don't think it's right, killing an innocent girl."

Vulgora whirled on Muriel so quickly that he jumped.  
"Am I going mad," they snarled viciously, backing him up a few feet, "or did the word "think" escape your lips? You were not hired for your brains, you hippopotamic land mass!"

"Well, I agree with Muriel." Asra defended his friend. This enraged Vulgora further.

"Oh, the witch has spoken!" they gave dismissive gesture. "What happens to her is not truly your concern; _I_ will kill her."

Vulgora advanced on Asra, their voice growing steadily louder.  
"And remember this, _never forget this_; when I found you, you were a beggar rat, so poor you couldn't buy a loaf of bread-"

They then rounded on Muriel. "-and you! Friendless, brainless, helpless, hopeless... Do you want me to send you back to where you were, a slave to the Coliseum?"

Vulgora fixated them each with a glare, then turned, and left them to cast off.

Muriel was noticeably distressed from Vulgora's onslaught of insults. Moving closer to his friend, Asra set to comfort him:

"That Vulgora, they can... _fuss_." he said, emphasizing the last word.

Muriel looked at Asra hopefully, wracking his mind.  
"... fuss ... fuss ... I think they like to scream at _us_."

"Probably they mean no _harm_." Asra returned.

This answer came more quickly. "They're really very short on _charm_."

Asra laughed, a look of pride spreading over his face.  
"Oh, you've a great gift for rhyme."

Muriel started to smile slightly.  
"Yes... some of the time." he replied softly.

"Enough of that!" Vulgora barked at them; but by now, the game was far too fun to give up.

"Muriel," Asra grinned, "are there rocks ahead?"

"If there are, we'll all be dead."

Vulgora pounded a fist on the boat's rail. "No more rhymes now, I mean it!"

A tiny, almost mischievous grin formed on Muriel's face.  
"Anybody want a peanut?"

Asra burst out laughing as Vulgora screamed in frustration, and the boat slowly crawled across the water.


	3. Eels and Insanity

Aeval shifted with unease as the sunset faded away, and the boat raced across the dark water.

Her captors, whose names she'd come to learn from their incessant bickering, suddenly grew quiet, and rested on various parts of the boat: Asra, at the helm; staring out to sea, Muriel, looming over Aeval, and Vulgora, against the side of the boat. The waves were rougher here, rocking the ship harder than before, and Aeval could almost swear she saw something in the water...

Vulgora's voice cut through the silence, towards Asra.  
"We'll reach the Cliffs by dawn." they said.

Asra acknowledged the comment with a nod, but returned his gaze to the ocean.

Vulgora's eyes narrowed. "Why are you doing that?"

"Just making sure nobody's following us."

"Ha! That would be inconceivable." Vulgora scoffed. It was at this time that Aeval's nerve returned to her, and she finally spoke up.

"Despite what you think," she said, trying to sound haughty and brave, "you will be caught. And when you are, the Count will see you all hanged."

All eyes turned to her, Vulgora's colder than ever.  
"Of all the necks on this boat, _Your Ladyship_," they sneered, "the one you should be worrying about is your own."

Aeval swallowed thickly, and silenced, turning away from Vulgora's frightening eyes. Vulgora then turned their ire on Asra, who continued to stare out into the darkness.

"Stop doing that!" they snapped. "We can all relax, it's almost over-"

'You're sure nobody's following us?" Asra interrupted.

"As I told you," they groaned, waving a careless hand as they leaned back, "it would be absolutely, totally, and in all other ways, inconceivable! No one in Hesperia knows what we've done. And no one in Vesuvia could have gotten here so fast."

They paused.

"Out of curiosity, why do you ask?"

"Ah... No reason." Asra replied casually. "It's just... I happened to look behind us, and something is there."

"WHAT?!" Vulgora roared, leaping to their feet. The stalked across the boat, closely followed by Muriel, and both leaned over the side to peer where Asra pointed. Aeval as well craned her neck to try and see.

For a moment, she saw nothing but darkness, only broken by the occasional sliver of moonlight. Then...

_There._

Nearly blending in with the sky and water: another boat, with dark wood and a black sail. _Pirates? _Aeval thought, heart leaping in her chest. An _enemy? A rescuer?_ Whoever it was, she needed to escape. _Now_.

Meanwhile, her captors were still staring at the other vessel, with Vulgora trying to explain away the situation.  
"Probably some local fisherman out for a pleasure cruise at night..." they reasoned. Then added nervously, "...through eel-infested waters."

A look passed through the three, all shifting nervously...

Before a splash sounded behind them, and they whirled around.

While her captors had been preoccupied, Aeval took the opportunity to slowly stand up, make her way to the side of the boat, then dive into the icy water below. She began to vigorously swim away from the boat.

Vulgora, naturally, flew into a rage, and rounded on Asra.  
"Go in, get after her!"

Asra, possibly lying, replied: "I don't swim."  
Both turned to look at Muriel, who only shook his head.

Growling exasperatedly, Vulgora switched to shouting instructions as Asra attempted to steer the ship after the rapidly escaping captive.  
"Veer left." they shouted. "Left. Left!"

Aeval, unfortunately, had made little progress. Despite being out cold for the majority of the day, she was _exhausted_. Physically and mentally. Still, she pressed on. If the other boat contained a friend, she would do well to stay out of their way as they dealt with those three fiends. If the boat contained a foe, she needed to put as much distance between herself and them as possible.

Suddenly, a wail burst through the air, and froze her to the spot.

Vulgora noticed the sound, as well as Aeval's slowed progress.  
"Do you know what that sound is, Ladyship?" they grinned, obviously enjoying her distress. "Those are the Shrieking Eels! If you doubt me, just wait. They always grow louder when they're about to feed on human flesh."

_Human fle- they're bluffing... right_? Aeval thought, not replying to Vulgora. Another shriek, louder and far more terrifying pierced the air. _Probably not._

"If you swim back now," Vulgora continued, still grinning ear to ear, "I promise, no harm will come to you. I doubt you'll get such an offer from the Eels."

Aeval desperately searched for a way out, but there was nothing. The other boat was too far away, as was any sort of land. She was trapped, and something dark and gigantic was slithering through the water. She watched, transfixed and horrified, as the large, slimy thing zeroed in on her. It barreled towards her, quickly picking up speed. Just as Aeval was certain it was all over...

A giant arm reached out beside her and pounded the eel on the head, knocking it unconscious. The arm then reached out, grabbed Aeval, and easily deposited her back onto the deck of the ship.

"Put her down." Vulgora barked at Muriel. "Just put her down."

Aeval trembled violently, both from the cold and from terror. She looked up to find Muriel staring at her. When she met his eyes, he gave her almost disappointed look, a shake of his head, then turned away.

Asra was once again looking behind them, and pointed at the other ship. "I think he's getting closer."

"He's no concern of ours." Vulgora snapped, now typing Aeval's hands. "Sail on!"

They eyed Aeval irritably. "I suppose you think you're brave, don't you?"

"Only compared to some." Aeval replied coldly, steadily meeting their reptilian stare.

To her surprise, Vulgora laughed. "Ha! You've got guts, Ladyship. I almost like you."

* * *

Dawn swiftly approached after that, and to everyone's growing unease, the other ship continued to pursue them.

"Look!" said Asra. "He's right on top of us! I wonder if he's using the same wind we're using."

"Whoever he is, he's too late, see?" Vulgora pointed ahead of them. "The Cliffs of Insanity."

Asra and Muriel scrambled into action, bringing the ship into dock, while Vulgora shouted unhelpful directions.

"Hurry up! Move the thing! That other thing! Move it!

Aeval turned her attention to the other ship, willing it to move faster. _Please,_ she thought. _Please help me._

To her despair, however, it didn't appear that they would reach her in time, even if they were a rescuer. The boat came into dock, and Vulgora pumped their fist victoriously.

"We're safe! Only the Scourge is strong enough to go up our way! He'll have to sail around for hours 'til he finds a harbor."

Muriel looked perturbed at being called "The Scourge", but said nothing. Instead, he groped along the cliff's rocks, until he reached behind the right one and revealed a rope. Up, up, up it went... all the way to the top of the cliff. Asra wasted no time, rushing over to strap a harness to Muriel. He yanked Aeval to her feet, and despite her struggling, strapped her into the harness. Next Vulgora was strapped in, then finally Asra himself. When all where settled in, Asra nodded to Muriel, and the huge man began to climb.

They hadn't climbed a hundred feet when Aeval began to feel dizzy, and the other ship pulled into dock. Aeval dared herself to spare a glance down at the pursuer.

A man (she was fairly sure), dressed entirely in black; with red hair and a strange beaked mask... Who stared in her direction as intently as she stared in his. After a moment, he turned his attention to the rope and began to climb. He practically flew up the rope, and in moments, Muriel's lead was shortening.

"I don't believe it." Asra murmured. "He's climbing the rope. And he's gaining on us."

"Inconceivable!" Vulgora raged. They prodded insistently at Muriel. "Faster!"

"I thought I _was_ going faster." Muriel answered with great difficulty, but Vulgora ignored him.

"You were supposed to be this colossus." they complained. "You were this great, legendary thing. And yet he _gains_!"

"To be fair, Muriel's carrying three people." Asra tried to reason. "And our friend there's got only himself."

Vulgora cut him off. "I do not accept excuses!" they shook their head. "I'm just going to have to find myself a new giant, that's all."

Muriel almost looked amused. "No. Please. Don't." He said flatly.

The Man in Black, meanwhile, pursued them ever faster; growing so close, that Aeval was certain that he would catch them soon. Especially when Muriel began to noticeably slow down; which of course, Vulgora noticed.

"Did I make it clear," they shrieked. "that your job is at stake? Move faster!"

Muriel rolled his eyes and grunted, but obeyed; and soon the reached the top of the cliff. Asra again leapt into action: first dragging Aeval out of the harness and setting her on the ground, then assisting Vulgora. As Asra helped Muriel, Vulgora drew a knife and quickly sawed through the rope. Once cut, it slithered over the side of the cliff like a serpent, followed by four pairs of eyes. Asra and Muriel peered over the edge of the cliff...

And saw the Man in Black clinging onto the jagged rocks for dear life.

"He has very good arms." commented Muriel, obviously impressed.

Vulgora drew up to them. "He didn't fall? Inconceivable!"

Asra arched an eyebrow at them. "You keep using that word... I don't think it means what you think it means."

He looked down, and his eyes widened. "My God... He's climbing!"

And so he was. Not quite as quickly as on the rope, but still steadily. The trio of outlaws exchanged a look of awe, before Vulgora spoke up.

"Whoever he is, he's obviously seen us with the girl, and must therefore die. You, carry her," they said to Muriel with a nod at Aeval, then turned to Asra. "We'll head straight for the Hesperian frontier. Catch up when he's dead. If he falls, fine. If not, the sword."

Asra nodded. Then grinned. "I want to duel him left-handed."

Vulgora looked unamused. "I can appreciate toying with your enemy better than anyone, but you know what a hurry we're in!"

"Well, it's the only way I can be satisfied." Asra shrugged carelessly. "If I use my right, it'll be over too quickly.”

"Oh, have it your way." Vulgora rolled their eyes, then stalked away.

Muriel spoke quietly. "... Be careful. People can't be trusted, but especially people in masks."

Asra clapped his friend on the shoulder, nodded, and smiled. Muriel seemed to relax slightly, but tensed up again when Vulgora shouted impatiently.

"I'm waiting!"

Muriel once again swept Aeval over his shoulder -with her loudly protesting the whole time- and started after Vulgora, leaving Asra alone to face the Man in Black.


End file.
